NJ man, 22, fighting for his life after accident while vacationing with fiancée off Italy’s Amalfi Coast
A New Jersey man is fighting for his life after a cliff-jumping stunt went horribly wrong during a vacation with his fiancée on Italy’s famed Amalfi Coast.
Jacob Fleig, of Berlin Township, Camden County, was critically injured when he was cliff-jumping at the popular tourist destination on Oct. 5, according to the Daily Voice.
Fleig, an engineering student, has undergone multiple life-saving surgeries and remains in intensive care at a hospital in Italy, his brother Jimmy Dorner wrote in a GoFundMe campaign launched on Oct. 11.
Fleig is now a resident of Berlin, the Daily Voice reported. Loved ones didn’t reveal how Fleig was injured in the cliff-jump accident or how far he fell.
The family’s immediate goal is to bring Fleig back to the US for additional care, Dorner said.
Dorner described his brother as someone whose personality leaves a lasting impression on everyone he meets.
“Jacob is a light in every life he encounters. His joyous, humorous, and charismatic personality are the first things everyone notices about him,” he wrote.
“Jacob has persevered through many adversities in life and has always come out a stronger man,” Dorner continued.
“On behalf of my brother, I am asking for your support, generosity, and prayers; to help with medical bills, medical transport back to the US, and assistance with his care and recovery,” he added.
The campaign had raised more than $45,000 as of Friday evening.
A family friend asked for prayers for Fleig, his fiancée, Olivia, and his mom, Kim, in a Facebook post.
“I’ve known Jake since he was in my friend Kim‘s belly and Jake is now 22 years old. Keep Jake, Kim, fiancée Olivia and all family in prayer,” they wrote Oct. 12.
Fleig is currently studying electrical engineering at American Institute, where he enrolled in 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He studied biochemistry at Rowan University from August 2022 to January 2023.
The Amalfi Coast draws thrill-seeking tourists who jump from rocky cliffs and bridges into the water below, despite the risk of serious injury.
In 2023, a woman at Fiordo di Furore, a scenic gorge on the coast, was hesitating over whether to jump when she suddenly slipped, tumbled down the rocks and plunged into the water.
Earlier this year, locals expressed outrage at tourists and cruise-ship passengers swarming the hotspot.
“For the Mayors and administrators of the Amalfi Coast, they like this mess; otherwise, they would have already issued orders to civilize this mass tourism,” said local resident Antonio Attianese.
